I live in Illinois where tuition is insanely expensive even for in-state students. My FAFSA SAI is -1500, so I’ll get about $15k in grants, but that’s still not enough. After grants and loans, which cap at $5500, the financial aid letters from schools still expect $15-20k out of pocket. How am I supposed to come up with that money when neither my parents nor I can take out private loans? Also, community college isn’t an option since most dental schools don’t accept those credits.
Why isn’t community college an option? A lot of dental schools accept credits from them.
U of I is free for families making under $70k per year.
Ash said:
U of I is free for families making under $70k per year.
That’s true, but it doesn’t cover room and board, which is $17k. 
You could apply to schools with full need-based aid (like WashU or other elite schools), but they have low acceptance rates. Or, if your stats are good, consider schools with automatic full rides. Applying for scholarships is also a must.
The out-of-pocket costs likely cover things like rent and groceries, but if your tuition is covered, you should be fine.
Cameron said:
The out-of-pocket costs likely cover things like rent and groceries, but if your tuition is covered, you should be fine.
No, the out-of-pocket costs I mean are after grants and loans. I still have to pay quite a bit more.
I was in the same position as you, but I found a way. My cost of attendance was $30k, and after a $12k scholarship, I still owed $18k. I didn’t pay for my first-year courses because I transferred credits from CLEP exams. CLEP exams cost $95 each, but Modern States offers free vouchers for them. I didn’t have to pay for any of my first-year classes, and I even skipped my freshman year. Check if your school accepts CLEP credits before trying. You can also apply for financial aid appeals or look for additional scholarships.
UIUC has a program where they guarantee free tuition for families making less than $60k per year. Other schools like UIC and Illinois State may have similar programs. Benedictine College also has a tuition promise for low-income students.
Many community colleges have transfer programs to bigger universities, and Illinois has gotten cheaper since I was in school. Check out programs with Northern and the University of Illinois.
I’m in Illinois too, same situation!
Good news! You can always appeal your financial aid. I did that at BU and got $5k more than I was originally offered. Every little bit helps!
How do you get $15k in grants? Just curious, please don’t get mad at me.
Rory said:
How do you get $15k in grants? Just curious, please don’t get mad at me.
I’m not sure if it’s $15k, but I thought the most you could get was $7k.
Rory said:
How do you get $15k in grants? Just curious, please don’t get mad at me.
I’m not sure if it’s $15k, but I thought the most you could get was $7k.
There are state grants that stack on top of Pell Grants, so you can get more than just the Pell Grant amount.
The deadline for many colleges is Jan 1st. Consider applying to liberal arts colleges out of state. You can DM me if you need help with last-minute applications!
Have you thought about going to college out of state? Some states have much cheaper tuition, even for out-of-state students. For example, I went to school in Wyoming for $10k per year, and I didn’t have any student debt because I paid for it with scholarships. Many Midwestern states like Utah, Montana, and Colorado also have affordable schools. If you’re worried about community college looking bad on job applications, don’t. I’ve never met anyone who was turned down for a job because they went to a community college. As for scholarships, apply as much as possible. The more you apply, the better your chances of winning!
@Ren
Hey, I’m in a similar situation. How did you find those scholarships? I get discouraged by sites like fastweb since they feel like raffles.
@Ren
I applied to a bunch of out-of-state schools, and they gave me a lot of aid, but I still have to pay $15-20k, even $30k in some cases. My dream school accepted me but wants $17k. Also, most dental schools don’t accept community college credits.
I have the same SAI and applied to more public colleges because their grants cover most of the costs. For private schools, the cost is way too high, even with the maximum aid.